Emergency DentistRY in Ruston, LA

Understanding Emergencies

What is a Dental Emergency?

There are a number of different oral issues that can count as a dental emergency. The most obvious emergencies are oral injuries, which can include anything from a loose or knocked-out tooth to lacerations and cuts to the lips, gums, cheeks, and tongue. 
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However, this is not the only type of dental emergency. Loose or pulled-out dental work (such as fillings and crowns), are also dental emergencies. Damaged or missing dental work can expose vulnerable enamel to further damage and decay. Toothaches are also considered a dental emergency, because a toothache often indicates severe damage or infection. 
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If you are suffering from serious pain and discomfort due to an oral issue, and you do not know how to treat it on your own, chances are that you need help from a dentist. The sooner you get treatment, the better. Time is of the essence when it comes to dental emergencies, so contact the office of Dr. Patrick Stuckey right away to schedule a same-day emergency appointment.

What To Do

In A Dental Emergency

As soon as you realize you’re experiencing a dental emergency, the first thing you should do is contact an emergency dentist in Ruston, LA. Getting immediate care for an emergency dental issue will help preserve and protect your tooth, and minimize your pain and discomfort.
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After this, you can recover your dental work or your tooth (if applicable to your situation). A missing tooth should be rinsed gently with warm water and put back into its socket, or placed into a small container of cold milk if it can’t be replaced in the socket. Pulled-out dental work can be put into a small plastic bag.
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If you are bleeding, you can use clean gauze or a cotton ball to absorb the blood, which should mostly stop within an hour. You can also take over-the-counter pain medication like ibuprofen (Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve), which can help with some of your pain and inflammation. If you have time, you may also apply an ice pack externally to your cheek, near the injured area. This can help with swelling and pain.
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Above all, make sure you get treatment from Dr. Stuckey as soon as possible. Some conditions, like a knocked-out tooth, should be treated within 1-2 hours for the best results. Professional dental care is always the best way to get relief from pain and discomfort, even for less severe dental emergencies.

Get Help Right Away From Dr. Stuckey

Same-Day Appointments

We offer same-day appointments to all of our patients at the office of Dr. Patrick Stuckey. If possible, we ask that you give us a call before coming in at (318) 255-8648, so that we can adequately prepare for your visit. We will always do our best to see you as soon as we can to give you the treatment you need to restore your health and your smile.

Get Relief From Pain & Discomfort

Sedation Options

At the office of Dr. Patrick Stuckey, we offer minimally inhaled sedation (laughing gas) to all of our emergency patients. This method of sedation takes effect immediately when you inhale, and it is delivered through a comfortable nose mask. Laughing gas will make you feel calm and comfortable, and help relieve your pain and discomfort. Best of all, this method of sedation has very few side effects and wears off after about 5 minutes. This means that you can drive yourself home from our office and get back to your day-to-day life right away.

Choosing The Right Ruston Dentist

For Emergency Care

For the best results, it’s important to choose a Ruston dentist who has years of experience treating all kinds of dental emergencies. Dr. Stuckey has been practicing in Ruston for nearly 30 years, he’s a member of both the American Dental Association and the Louisiana Dental Association, and he has seen it all. With his caring, patient-focused attitude and years of experience, you can trust him to take great care of you during your dental emergency.

Knocked-Out Teeth

Can They Be Saved?

Yes! To save a tooth that has been knocked out, it needs to be re-implanted into the socket and splinted to adjacent teeth. If this procedure is done quickly, your tooth can potentially re-attach to the socket and heal.
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However, this must be done as soon as possible after you lose your tooth. For the best results, your tooth should be replaced within the hour, though the procedure can be effective up to 2 hours after your injury. As soon as a tooth falls out or is knocked-out of your mouth, it starts to die. If it is not re-implanted in time, your body will reject the tooth and it will not be able to re-attach to the socket. In these instances, the tooth must be replaced with a partial denture, implant, or a dental bridge. Call us today!